Growth factor homolog zvegf3

An isolated polypeptide comprising a sequence of amino acids of the formula R 1x—R2y—R3z, wherein:

• R1 comprises a polypeptide of from 100 to 120 residues in length that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and comprises a sequence motif C[KR]Y[DNE] [WYF]X{11,15)}G[KR] [WYF] C (SEQ ID NO:
• 4) corresponding to residues 104-124 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R2 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical to residues 164-234 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R3 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to residues 2 35-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and comprises cysteine residues at positions corresponding to residues 250, 280, 284, 296, 335, and 337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• a glycine residue at a position corresponding to residue 282 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and a sequence motif CX{18,33}CXGXCX{6,33}CX{20,40}CXC (SEQ ID NO:
• 3) corresponding to residues 250-337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• each of x, y, and z is individually 0 or 1, subject to the limitations that:
• at least one of x and z is 1;
• and
• if x and z are each 1, then y is 1.

An isolated protein comprising a first polypeptide operably linked to a second polypeptide, wherein said first polypeptide comprises a sequence of amino acids of the formula R1x—R2y—R3z wherein:

• R1 comprises a polypeptide of from 100 to 120 residues in length that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and comprises a sequence motif C[KR]Y[DNE] [WYF]X{11,15}G[KR] [WYF]C (SEQ ID NO:
• 4) corresponding to residues 104-124 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R2 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical to residues 164-234 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R3 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and comprises cysteine residues at positions corresponding to residues 250, 280, 284, 296, 335, and 337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• a glycine residue at a position corresponding to residue 282 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and a sequence motif CX{25,33}CXGXCX{10,33}CX{20,40}CXC (SEQ ID NO:
• 3) corresponding to residues 250-337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• each of x, y, and z is individually 0 or 1, subject to the limitations that:
• at least one of x and z is 1;
• and
• if x and z are each 1, then y is 1,
• and wherein said protein modulates cell proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, or migration.

An isolated polynucleotide of up to approximately 4 kb in length, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising a sequence of amino acids of the formula R1x—R2y—R3z wherein:

• R1 comprises a polypeptide of from 100 to 120 residues in length that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, and comprises a sequence motif C[KR]Y[DNE] [WYF]X{11,15}G[KR] [WYF]C (SEQ ID NO:
• 4) corresponding to residues 104-124 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R2 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical to residues 164-234 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• R3 is a polypeptide at least 90% identical in amino acid sequence to residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and comprises cysteine residues at positions corresponding to residues 250, 280, 284, 296, 335, and 337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• a glycine residue at a position corresponding to residue 282 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and a sequence motif CX{25,33}CXGXCX{10,33}CX{20,40}CXC (SEQ ID NO:
• 3) corresponding to residues 250-337 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• each of x, y, and z is individually 0 or 1, subject to the limitations that:
• at least one of x and z is 1;
• and
• if x and z are each 1, then y is 1.

A method for detecting a genetic abnormality in a patient, comprising:

• obtaining a genetic sample from a patient;
• incubating the genetic sample with a polynucleotide comprising at least 14 contiguous nucleotides of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or the complement of SEQ ID NO:
• 1, under conditions wherein said polynucleotide will hybridize to complementary polynucleotide sequence, to produce a first reaction product;
• and
• comparing said first reaction product to a control reaction product, wherein a difference between said first reaction product and said control reaction product is indicative of a genetic abnormality in the patient.

A method of decreasing zvegf3 activity in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of an antibody that specifically binds to an epitope of a polypeptide consisting of a sequence of amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of:

• residues 230-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 231-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 232-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 233-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 234-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 236-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 237-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 238-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 239-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• residues 240-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2.

A method of decreasing zvegf3 activity in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of an antibody that specifically binds to a dimeric protein having two polypeptide chains, wherein each of said polypeptide chains consists of a sequence of amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of:

• residues 230-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 231-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 232-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 233-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 234-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 236-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 237-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 238-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• residues 239-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• residues 240-345 of SEQ ID NO:
• 2.